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Google Nest Protect alarm showing a yellow ring: Heads-Up: meaning and exact next steps

a yellow ring: Heads-Up means Heads-Up early warning. Google says Protect detected rising smoke or carbon monoxide levels and the alarm may sound. This answer applies only to Google Nest Protect smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, battery-powered and wired, as described in Google's Nest Protect lights-and-sounds article. Light ring colors and messages apply to Protect; the same words on another brand's alarm do not.

On the covered Google Nest Protect alarm, a yellow ring: Heads-Up means heads-Up early warning. Google says Protect detected rising smoke or carbon monoxide levels and the alarm may sound. First, for smoke, put out the source. For carbon monoxide, open a window or door for fresh air.

Part of Google Nest Protect alarm error codes

Differential

Likely causes of “Google Nest Protect alarm showing a yellow ring”, and how to tell them apart

  1. 1

    Smoke or steam near the alarm

    What separates it The ring pulses yellow and the voice names the room; it follows cooking or a hot shower

    How to confirm Nest says to keep the alarm at least 10 feet from cooking appliances and out of bathrooms, where steam can trigger it

  2. 2

    Carbon monoxide rising below the emergency level

    What separates it The Heads-Up names carbon monoxide rather than smoke

    How to confirm Open windows and leave if anyone feels unwell; treat a repeat as real until a tester or the fire service says otherwise

Try in this order

0 of 5 completed

  1. What to do first

    Reversible

    For smoke, put out the source. For carbon monoxide, open a window or door for fresh air.

  2. Correct only the documented fault domain

    Reversible

    Google's step: after removing the source (or getting fresh air for carbon monoxide), use the app or press the center button to silence the alert. If the smoke or carbon monoxide reaches critical levels, Google says Protect sounds the alarm.

  3. Find the source

    Reversible

    Nest tells you in which room the smoke or carbon monoxide is. Put out a burnt pan or turn off the hot shower.

  4. Hush it

    Reversible

    Press the Nest button on the alarm, or hush it from the app, once you know the cause. The alarm clears itself when the air is clean.

  5. Move the alarm if it repeats

    Reversible

    If cooking or showers keep triggering it, move it to meet the 10 foot guidance.

Evidence ledger

Sources behind this answer

01
Google Nest Help Nest Protect lights and sounds
02
Google Nest Help Nest Protect lights and sounds
03
Google Nest Help Prevent false alarms

Exact questions

Common questions

What does a yellow ring: Heads-Up mean on a Google Nest Protect alarm?+

Heads-Up early warning. Google says Protect detected rising smoke or carbon monoxide levels and the alarm may sound.

Is a yellow Heads-Up the same as the red alarm?+

No. The yellow ring is the early warning before the level reaches the emergency alarm, which is the red ring with a siren.

Wrong device or version?

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